Kashmir Art And Culture
Kashmir is a distinct geographical entity spread over a well-defined land mass covered by high mountains of the great Himalayan range. Excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India have established that the valley was first settled in the Neolithic period. The Neolithic culture, dating from 2400 BC onwards, is represented mainly by two archaeological sites: Burzhom, near Srinagar and Gufkral, near Tral.
The ancient cultures of the valley were dynamic and in a continual process of growth. The period dating from 500 BC to 200 BC has left its imprints in the artifacts and objects belonging to the famous Northern Black Polished (NBP) 2 period. This period is associated with the cultural heritage revolving around Gautama Buddha and the Mauryas. The discovery of NBP links Kashmir to the great sub-continental epoch of Ashoka. At Ushkar, near Barramula, excavations have found the first pre-Christian-era fragments of terracotta and buildings. The Ushkar finds display all features of later Gandhara art. These are followed by the Brahminical images showing the transition between classical Gandhara and Kashmiri sculpture. Harwan, a village near the city of Srinagar, is a prominent site where buildings and terracotta tiles have been excavated. These tiles reveal certain Sasanian and Central Asian characteristics with a background of Gandhara art of the 4th or 5th century.
Amongst the local kings, Lalitaditya (725-753 AD) had a lasting influence on the culture of Kashmir as demonstrated by the archaeological remains from his time. These are some of the largest and most magnificent monuments ever built in the country. The sun temple at Martand is the best representation of this glorious period. Lalitaditya built his capital city at Parihaspora, which even in its present ruined condition bears witness to the grandeur of this king.
Avantivarman (855-883 AD) was another great builder. His pursuits were more peaceful than Lalitaditya. The temples at Avantipura are a fine example of the architectural achievements of this period. The finds at Avantipura indicate that both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths were followed there.
Buddhism survived in Kashmir for a thousand years, with periods of low and high influence. After the 5th century, it was overshadowed by the upsurge of theVaishnava and Shaiva faiths. However, in spite of the predominance of the Brahmincal faith and the loss of royal patronage, Buddhism continued to mark its presence as late as the 13th century.
The SPS museum, through its invaluable collections, reveals and bears witness to the cultural attainments of Kashmir.
The advent of Islam in the 14th century brought a new dimension to the culture and heritage of Kashmir. The Salatin of Kashmir, the first Muslim king, had a penchant for decorative arts and crafts. Scholars and traders from the cultural centres of Asia such as Herat, Merv, Samarqand and Bukhara came in substantial numbers to Srinagar, which was then known as Shehr-i-Kashmir. Their arrival influenced the rich craft traditions of Kashmir. Sultan Zainul Abidin, popularly called Budshah (1420-1470 AD) patronized arts, crafts, literature and architecture and left behind a legacy unsurpassed by any other king. This period gave birth to the use of colours, motifs and techniques that were henceforth to dominate Kashmiri crafts. The craft heritage of Kashmir, especially its textiles, has been declared along with miniature paintings as the most significant art form of India.
Budshah’s reign also saw the enrichment of Kashmiri painting traditions. The Islamic tradition of calligraphy was blended with painted hashia (borders) and ornamentation, thereby creating the finest examples of Islamic arts. The scholars of the Muslim period, both Muslim and non-Muslim, continued the tradition of leaving written accounts on diverse subjects. These records are preserved in Persian and Arabic manuscripts.
The scholars of Mughal history attribute the great attachment of the Mughals to Kashmir, besides its natural beauty, to the fact that they could there pursue their intellectual urges of art and literature, miniature paintings, and the translation of Sanskrit and Persian classics.
Architecture has been defined as the authentic expression of heritage and culture. It defines and expresses the cultural, social and economic assets of a community. Kashmir has contributed a distinct stream of architecture to the world in the form of wooden vernacular architecture. The use of wood and its conversion and stylization into elements of building technology as well as craft forms is typical of this style. Srinagar, even in its present state of neglect and decay, is one of the few surviving representations of a medieval cityscape.
From the amusing trinket to a collector's item, you'll find it all in Srinagar. Row upon row of shops filled with handicrafts line the streets. The array is awesome. There are objects to suit every pocket, for the variety within each craft is wide. Kashmiri handicrafts are prized everywhere for their exquisite craftsmanship. Kashmir carpets, in both wool and silk with their Persian design, are a lifetime investment and the shoppers’ selection range from the simple to the most extraordinarily intricate patterns handed down the generations. Then there are papier-mâché items ranging from jewelery boxes to mirror frames, a range of intricately carved walnut wood furniture and accessories, stone jewelery boxes, beautiful woolen shawls, crewel embroidery on furnishing material sold by the meter and more.
Jammu & Kashmir is one place where the roving eyes of travelers come upon one endearing natural vista after another. A visit to this Eden revitalizes everyone - body, mind & soul. Over the centuries saints, seers and followers of all religions have come to Kashmir and left it richer, more spiritually robust. Jammu and Kashmir is dotted by both natural and man made religious pilgrimage sites. Shrines of all faiths exist in a good number here, symbolizing the spiritual and secular character of the Region.Hundreds of Shrines placed in scenic locations all over its hilly landscape.
A carpet may well be the most expensive purchase from your trip to Kashmir but it is a lifelong investment. Kashmiri carpets are known the world over for two things - they are handmade, never machine made, and they are always knotted, never tufted. It is extremely instructive to watch a carpet being made - your dealer can probably arrange this for you. The yarn used normally is silk, wool or both. Staple carpets are made to fill a slot in the market – customers demand carpets, which are not unlike silk in appearance so as to blend with the decor of their houses. One important difference between silk and staple though is that pure silk is far lighter than staple per unit area.
Carpet weaving in Kashmir was not originally indigenous but is thought to have come in by way of Persia. Till today, most designs are distinctly Persian with local variations The knotting of carpet is the most important aspect, determining its durability and value, in addition to its design. Basically, the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Count the number of knots on the reverse of carpet in any one square inch, and it should be roughly the same as the dealer tells you, give or take 10 knots.
There are three fibers from which Kashmiri shawls are made - wool, pashmina and shahtoosh. The prices of the three cannot be compared - Woollen shawls being within reach of the most modest budget, and Shahtoosh being a one-in-a-lifetime purchase. Shahtoos is a banned commodity nowadays. Woollen shawls are popular because of the embroidery worked on them, which is unique to Kashmir. Both embroidery and the type of wool used bring about differences in the price. Wool woven in Kashmir is known as raffel. Many kinds of embroidery are worked on shawls. 'Sozni' (needlework) is generally done in a panel along the sides of the shawl. Motifs, usually abstract designs or stylised paisleys and flowers are worked in one or two, and occasionally three subdued colours. The fineness of the workmanship and the amount of embroidery determines the value of the shawl.Pashmina is unmistakable due to its softness. Pashmina yarn is spun from the hair of goat found in the highlands of Ladakh, at 14,000 ft above sea level. It is on pashmina shawls that Kashmir's most exquisite embroidery is executed, sometimes covering the entire surface, earning it the name of 'jamawar’. A Jamawar shawl can, by virtue of the embroidery, increase the value of a shawl threefold. A second, less frequently seen weave done only on pashmina, covers the surface with tiny lozenge shaped squares, earning it the delightful name of 'chashm-e-bulbul,' or "eye of the bulbul". As this weave is a masterpiece of the weaver's art, it is normally not embroidered upon.
The ancient cultures of the valley were dynamic and in a continual process of growth. The period dating from 500 BC to 200 BC has left its imprints in the artifacts and objects belonging to the famous Northern Black Polished (NBP) 2 period. This period is associated with the cultural heritage revolving around Gautama Buddha and the Mauryas. The discovery of NBP links Kashmir to the great sub-continental epoch of Ashoka. At Ushkar, near Barramula, excavations have found the first pre-Christian-era fragments of terracotta and buildings. The Ushkar finds display all features of later Gandhara art. These are followed by the Brahminical images showing the transition between classical Gandhara and Kashmiri sculpture. Harwan, a village near the city of Srinagar, is a prominent site where buildings and terracotta tiles have been excavated. These tiles reveal certain Sasanian and Central Asian characteristics with a background of Gandhara art of the 4th or 5th century.
Amongst the local kings, Lalitaditya (725-753 AD) had a lasting influence on the culture of Kashmir as demonstrated by the archaeological remains from his time. These are some of the largest and most magnificent monuments ever built in the country. The sun temple at Martand is the best representation of this glorious period. Lalitaditya built his capital city at Parihaspora, which even in its present ruined condition bears witness to the grandeur of this king.
Avantivarman (855-883 AD) was another great builder. His pursuits were more peaceful than Lalitaditya. The temples at Avantipura are a fine example of the architectural achievements of this period. The finds at Avantipura indicate that both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths were followed there.
Buddhism survived in Kashmir for a thousand years, with periods of low and high influence. After the 5th century, it was overshadowed by the upsurge of theVaishnava and Shaiva faiths. However, in spite of the predominance of the Brahmincal faith and the loss of royal patronage, Buddhism continued to mark its presence as late as the 13th century.
The SPS museum, through its invaluable collections, reveals and bears witness to the cultural attainments of Kashmir.
The advent of Islam in the 14th century brought a new dimension to the culture and heritage of Kashmir. The Salatin of Kashmir, the first Muslim king, had a penchant for decorative arts and crafts. Scholars and traders from the cultural centres of Asia such as Herat, Merv, Samarqand and Bukhara came in substantial numbers to Srinagar, which was then known as Shehr-i-Kashmir. Their arrival influenced the rich craft traditions of Kashmir. Sultan Zainul Abidin, popularly called Budshah (1420-1470 AD) patronized arts, crafts, literature and architecture and left behind a legacy unsurpassed by any other king. This period gave birth to the use of colours, motifs and techniques that were henceforth to dominate Kashmiri crafts. The craft heritage of Kashmir, especially its textiles, has been declared along with miniature paintings as the most significant art form of India.
Budshah’s reign also saw the enrichment of Kashmiri painting traditions. The Islamic tradition of calligraphy was blended with painted hashia (borders) and ornamentation, thereby creating the finest examples of Islamic arts. The scholars of the Muslim period, both Muslim and non-Muslim, continued the tradition of leaving written accounts on diverse subjects. These records are preserved in Persian and Arabic manuscripts.
The scholars of Mughal history attribute the great attachment of the Mughals to Kashmir, besides its natural beauty, to the fact that they could there pursue their intellectual urges of art and literature, miniature paintings, and the translation of Sanskrit and Persian classics.
Architecture has been defined as the authentic expression of heritage and culture. It defines and expresses the cultural, social and economic assets of a community. Kashmir has contributed a distinct stream of architecture to the world in the form of wooden vernacular architecture. The use of wood and its conversion and stylization into elements of building technology as well as craft forms is typical of this style. Srinagar, even in its present state of neglect and decay, is one of the few surviving representations of a medieval cityscape.
Jammu and Kashmir Handicrafts
Sufism in Kashmir
Kashmiri Carpets
Carpet weaving in Kashmir was not originally indigenous but is thought to have come in by way of Persia. Till today, most designs are distinctly Persian with local variations The knotting of carpet is the most important aspect, determining its durability and value, in addition to its design. Basically, the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Count the number of knots on the reverse of carpet in any one square inch, and it should be roughly the same as the dealer tells you, give or take 10 knots.
Kashmiri Shawls
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